Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Ted Cruz Meets With Taiwan President, Tells China To Butt Out

Following President-elect Trump's lead in redefining the U.S.-Taiwan relationship, Sen. Ted Cruz on Saturday met with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in Houston, rejecting a Chinese demand that lawmakers refuse to meet with her.

Cruz, who was joined in the meeting by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and a group of Texas legislators, sent a stern message to China in response to a letter by Chinese officials to the Houston congressional delegation asking them not to meet with the Taiwanese leader.

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"The People's Republic of China needs to understand that, in America, we make decisions about meeting with visitors for ourselves," the Texas senator and former presidential candidate said in a statement following the meeting.

"This is not about the PRC. This is about the U.S. relationship with Taiwan, an ally we are legally bound to defend," Cruz said. "The Chinese do not give us veto power over those with whom they meet."